Main trade-off
Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
It does not provide the Navigator’s flame-broiler finishing mechanism.
Head-to-head
Traeger Woodridge Pro vs Pit Boss Navigator 850M: Both set to 500°F, only Navigator’s direct-flame route changes the finish
The short answer
Choose the Woodridge Pro for a Traeger smoking routine with Super Smoke and the EZ-Clean grease-and-ash collection system. Choose the Navigator 850M if direct-flame finishing and a larger pellet hopper matter more. Both reach a 500°F setpoint, but their finishing workflow differs more than that shared maximum suggests.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
A 500°F label does not describe the same steak finish
The Navigator’s lever exposes food to direct flame for a finishing step. The Woodridge Pro uses its indirect chamber without that same flame-broiler feature. If your routine is smoke first and finish over exposed flame, Navigator has the relevant mechanism.
What this is based on
This is a cooking-method distinction, not evidence of a faster sear or better crust. The shared maximum chamber setting does not measure direct-flame surface heat.
Main trade-off
Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
Direct-flame cooking needs a different grease and attention routine from low-temperature smoking.
Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
- Choose it for
- You want Super Smoke and Traeger’s grease-and-ash keg workflow.
- You plan meals around its documented 585 sq in lower rack and 385 sq in upper rack.
- Main trade-off
- It does not provide the Navigator’s flame-broiler finishing mechanism.
Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
- Choose it for
- You want to open the flame broiler for direct-flame finishing.
- You want a 30 lb hopper that can accept a full 20 lb bag with more pellets remaining.
- Main trade-off
- Direct-flame cooking needs a different grease and attention routine from low-temperature smoking.
About this comparison
Compare these connected pellet grills for indirect smoking, direct-flame finishing, cooking-rack layout and handling a fresh bag of pellets.
Choose the Woodridge Pro for a Traeger smoking routine with Super Smoke and the EZ-Clean grease-and-ash collection system. Choose the Navigator 850M if direct-flame finishing and a larger pellet hopper matter more. Both reach a 500°F setpoint, but their finishing workflow differs more than that shared maximum suggests.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Smoke then finish over direct flame
Navigator supplies a flame-broiler lever for that finishing method.
- Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
- Caution
- Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
- Better fit
Pour a 20 lb bag onto 8 lb remaining
The resulting 28 lb exceeds Traeger’s 24 lb hopper and fits Navigator’s 30 lb rating.
- Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
- Caution
- Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
- Better fit
Want Traeger Super Smoke
Woodridge Pro explicitly includes Super Smoke.
- Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
- Better fit
- Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
- Different system
One very large or tall pan
Total multi-level cooking area does not prove the pan fits.
- Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
- Measure first
- Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
- Measure first
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
A 500°F label does not describe the same steak finish
The Navigator’s lever exposes food to direct flame for a finishing step. The Woodridge Pro uses its indirect chamber without that same flame-broiler feature. If your routine is smoke first and finish over exposed flame, Navigator has the relevant mechanism.
How we reached this conclusion
This is a cooking-method distinction, not evidence of a faster sear or better crust. The shared maximum chamber setting does not measure direct-flame surface heat.
A fresh pellet bag needs room for what is already inside
With 8 lb remaining and a new 20 lb bag, the total is 28 lb. That exceeds the Woodridge Pro hopper by 4 lb and fits within the Navigator’s 30 lb rating. Choose Navigator if storing partial bags is an everyday nuisance.
How we reached this conclusion
8 + 20 = 28 lb. 28 - 24 = 4 lb left outside the Traeger hopper. This is a loading example, not a prediction of unattended runtime.
Plan large pans against the lower rack
The Woodridge Pro’s 970 sq in includes 385 sq in on the upper rack. Removing that rack for tall food leaves 585 sq in on the lower level. Do not treat the 38 sq in total-area lead over Navigator as proof that one large pan or tall roast fits better.
How we reached this conclusion
970 - 385 = 585. 970 - 932 = 38, but the rack breakdown and actual food dimensions are needed to interpret that total.
Choice A
Traeger, TFB97JLH
Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
It provides 970 square inches of cooking area. The pellet hopper holds 24 pounds.
- Best matched use
- You want Super Smoke and Traeger’s grease-and-ash keg workflow.
Checked facts
- Published cooking area: 970 sq in total, 585 lower and 385 upper
- High-heat workflow: Up to 500°F chamber setting, indirect cooking
- Pellet hopper: 24 lb
- Control routine: WiFIRE and Super Smoke
Choice B
Pit Boss, PB850M
Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
It provides 932 square inches of cooking area. The pellet hopper holds 30 pounds.
- Best matched use
- You want to open the flame broiler for direct-flame finishing.
Checked facts
- Published cooking area: 932 sq in total
- High-heat workflow: 180 to 500°F settings with Flame Broiler Lever
- Pellet hopper: 30 lb
- Control routine: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controller
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill | Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published cooking area | 970 sq in total, 585 lower and 385 upper | 932 sq in total | Total area does not describe the largest single-level arrangement. |
| High-heat workflow | Up to 500°F chamber setting, indirect cooking | 180 to 500°F settings with Flame Broiler Lever | Opening the broiler changes the way food meets the heat. |
| Pellet hopper | 24 lb | 30 lb | The amount left in the hopper determines whether a new bag fits. |
| Control routine | WiFIRE and Super Smoke | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controller | Both offer connected control with different cooking features. |
| After-cook cleanup | EZ-Clean Grease & Ash Keg | Grease tray and removable components | Check the maintenance access you will use after greasy cooks. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
- The 24 lb hopper cannot hold the full 28 lb loading example.
If you choose Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
- The advertised total does not establish a larger lower-rack capacity.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
Direct-flame finishing is part of my normal meal
Choose Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill. Its flame-broiler lever supports that method.
I want the Traeger smoke mode and keg cleanup routine
Choose Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill. Woodridge Pro combines Super Smoke with EZ-Clean grease-and-ash collection.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
Decide how the meal finishes
Someone who wants exposed flame after a low-temperature phase has a concrete reason to choose Navigator. If your meals stay in indirect heat and you value Traeger’s smoke mode and app routine, Woodridge Pro is a closer fit. Neither feature list establishes a taste winner.
Lay out the largest meal
Measure the pan, ribs or tall roast you routinely cook and decide whether the upper rack can remain installed. The Woodridge total includes two levels, so its advertised area cannot all be used as one uninterrupted lower surface. Ask for the Navigator rack dimensions when single-level fit is decisive.
Choose an ownership routine you will follow
Compare pellet loading, grease removal and ash access before considering extras. A 30 lb hopper can reduce partial-bag handling in the stated example, while Traeger consolidates grease and ash collection in its keg system. Both still require the manufacturer’s cleaning and shutdown procedures.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- The Pit Boss page has conflicting probe counts, so no included-probe advantage is claimed.
- No measured smoke intensity, searing quality, pellet consumption or unattended runtime is inferred.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current pellet grills and smokers comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill |
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| Pit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Traeger Woodridge Pro Pellet Grill
You want Super Smoke and Traeger’s grease-and-ash keg workflow.
See price & reviews on AmazonPit Boss Navigator 850 Connected Pellet Grill
You want to open the flame broiler for direct-flame finishing.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.